Coal-feeding mechanism



A. C. GLASGOW.

COAL FEEDING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 16, 1920.

Patented Oct. 17, 1922.,

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40 device embodying this invention;

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ARTHUR C. GLASGOW, E DECATUR, ELEINUIS.

coQan-rmnme mechanism,

' Application filed February re, 1920. serial m ma To all whom iii-may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR C. Gnaseow, a citizen of the United States,and res1dmg at Decatur, Illinois, have invented the new and useful improvement in Coal-Feeding Mechanism, of which the followingis a specification. I I v This invention relates to an apparatus for feeding pulverized fuel and simllar materials. I r

in an apparatus of this kind, the material is usually delivered to the feeding device by means of a hopper. It is 'a peculiarity of pulverized material that, after having been stored, even for a short period of time in a loin or hopper. from which it is fed by withdrawing the material from the bottom thereof, it has a strong tendency toward the action called stacking or, E ridgi y wherein the material compacts itself in such a way asto form an arch or bridge from side to side of the container which supports the superimposed material and allows the materialbelow to be withdrawn without-causing said superimposed material to follow it.

Une of the objects of this invention, there fore, is to provide means whereby such sta cking will be avoided and the uniform feedlng of the materialfrom the hopperwill bein 3o sured. Another object of this invention is to provide means for feeding the material in-.a disintegrated formdirectly from the hopper to-the blast which delivers it for use, and to provide means for regulating the feed.

Further objects will 'appear from the detail description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 represents a sectional view of a Figure 2' is a section'taken on the line 2-,2,

F i re 1; and p igure 3 is a detail view of the regulating valve.

Referring now to' the accompanying draw.- ing, 1 designates a'hopper which is to deliver the fuel to the feeding apparatus. This hopper isprovided with a charging opening 2 and a discharging opening 3. Centrally located within the hopper 1 is a vertical tube 4 having a series of perforations 5 arranged helically, as shown in Figure 1 The tube 4 passes through the cover of the hopper 1 so as to communicate with the external atmos-- phere and permit a draught of air to be drawn downwardly therethrough when the apparatus is working.

The hopper 1 rests upon and is supported by a cylinder 6 which has an opening corresponding to and registering with the opening 3 of the hopper 1. The cylinder 6 is supported at the rear end on the frame 7 and at the front end upon the housing 8 of a suc tion fan 9.

The fan 9 has a shaft 10 working in bearings-in the housing 8 and extending rearwardly through the cylinder 6 and through a second cylinderll and is connected by means of the coupling 12 to a driving motor 13. The shaft 10 may be supported at inter mediate points in bearings as 14 and 15.

- Within the cylinder 6, is mounted a c lindrical regulating valve 16 having the ape shown in Figure 3. This valve has an open ing 17 adapted to register with the opening 3 of the hopper 1 and has in addition, a series of perforations 1 8 adapted to partially close the lower end of the tube at when the valve 16 is in a position to partially close the opening 3. Thisvvalve is mounted for rotary ad'ustment within the cylinder 6 and is provi ed, for the purpose of such adjustment, with a handle 19 working in a slot 20 in the cylinder 6.

Within the valve 16 is a hollow cylindrical 85 drum 21 provided with a series of circum-- ferentially elongated perforations 22 over its entire surface. The drum 21 is mounted by means of spiders 23 and 24 upon the shaft 10, so as to rotate thereon. The rim 90 of the spider 24 is provided with an internal gear 25 ada tedto mesh with a spur gear 26supporte by a bracket 27 upon the frame 7. The gear 26 meshes with and is driven by a pinlon 28 carried by the shaft 10 and driven by the motor 13. This arrangement is designed to give the drum 21 a slow rotation past the opening 3 of the hopper 1.

The cylinder 11 communicates with the outside atmosphere through a pipe 29 having a damper 30 adapted to regulate the supply of air.

In operation the motor 13, by means of the shaft 10, drives the exhaust fan 9, which draws a current of air down the pipe 29 through the cylinder 11 and through the hollow drum 21. The amount of air suplied may be regulated by the damper 30. otation of the shaft 10 also causes a slow rotation of the drum 21. The fuel in the 1M) hopper 1 rests upon the drum 21 and when said drum is rotated, the fuel passes through the perforations 22 and enters the interior of thedrum 21 in a disintegrated and finely divided state. Upon entering the interior of the drum, the fuel is caught by the current of air passi therethrough and the mixture of air aiifi powdered fuel passes through the fan 9 .and is delivered for use at 31.

The suction of air caused b the fan 9 produces a downward current 0 air through the pipe 4, which causes the fuel in thehopper to enter said pipe through the perfora tions 5, said fuel mixing with the air and passing to'the interior of the drum 21 to be delivered by the fan 9 as before described. The continual entrance of fuel into the pipe 4 through the perforations 5 causes continual movement of the fuel in the hopper adjacent to said pipe and prevents, therefore, any packing of the fuel and any stacking or bridging action.

The amount of fuel delivered to the air current is regulated by means of the valve 16 by opening or partially closing the opening 3. It is thus seen that both the amount of fuel and the amount of air delivered to the mixture can be regulated as desired.

It will further be seen that this device feeds the fuel in a disintegrated form directly from the hopper, mixes it with the air and delivers the mixture for use. It will also be seen that stacking or bridging of the to feed the fuel therefrom, means for regulating the feed of the fuel, and means for causing a draught of air through said drum in order to mix with and deliver the fuel for use.

'2. Apparatus for feeding pulverized fuel, comprising, a hopper, a hollow, rotatable perforated drum at the outlet of said hopper and in contact with the fuel therein, adapted to feed the fuel therefrom, means for regulatingthe feed of the fuel to said drum, and means for causing a draught of air through said drum in order to mix with and deliver the fuel for use.

3. Apparatus for feeding pulverized fuel, comprising, a hopper, a hollow, rotatable perforated drum at the outlet of said hopper and in contact with the fuel therein, adapted-to feed the fuel therefrom, a valve overlying said drum for regulating the feed of the fuel thereto, and means for causing a draught of air through said hollow drum adapted to mix with and deliver the fuel for use.

4. Apparatus for feeding pulverized fuel, comprising, a hopper, a hollow, rotatable perforated drum adapted to feed the fuelfrom said hopper, a valve embracing said drum adapted to regulate the feed ofthe fuel and means for causing a draught of air through said hollow drumadapted to mix with, and

deliver the fuel for use.

5. Apparatus for feeding pulverized fuel, comprising, a hopper, an air duct in said hopper, a hollow, rotatable perforated drum adapted to feed the fuel from said hopper, a valve embraoin said drum adapted to regulate the feed 0 the fuel and the passage of air through said duct, and means for causing a draught of air through said hollow drum adapted to mix with and deliver the fuel for use.

6. Apparatus for feeding pulverized fuel, comprising, a hopper, an air duct in said hopper, a hollow, rotatable perforated drum adapted to feed the fuel from said hopper, a valve embracing said drum adapted to regulate the feed of the fuel and having an open-v ing adapted to regulate the passage of air through said duct, and means for causing a draught of air through said hollow drum adapted to mix with and deliver the fuel for use.

7. In an apparatus for feeding powdered fuel, a hopper adapted to contain the fuel and having an outlet at the bottom thereof through which the fuel is fed, and a perforated pipe in saidhopper adapted to allow entrance of fuel to said pipe in order to prevent bridging of the fuel therein.

8. In an apparatus for feeding powdered fuel, a hopper adapted to contain the fuel and having an outlet at the bottom thereof through which the fuel is fed, and a perforated pipe in said hopper and means for passing a current of air through said pipe, adapted to cause entrance of fuel thereto in order to prevent bridging of fuel in said hopper.

9. An apparatus for feeding powdered fuel, comprising, a hopper adapted to contain said fuel, means in said hopper adapted to prevent stacking ofthe fuel, a hollow rotatable perforated drum adapted to feed the fuel from said hopper, a valve embracing said drum adapted to regulate the feed of the fuel, and means for delivering the fuel for use.

10. In an apparatus for feeding powdered fuel, a hopper adapted to contain the fuel, means for feeding the fuel from said hopper, and means in said hopper including a perforated air pipe adapted to withdraw fuel from the body of the mass'the'reof to prevent stacking of the fuel.-

11. In an apparatus 'for feeding powdered fuel, a fuel hopper having an outlet, at the bottom thereof through which the fuel is fed, and'suction means passing downwardly within said hopper and surrounded by the contents thereof, adapted to cause movement of the fuel adjacent thereto to bridging within said hopper.

'12. In an apparatus for -feeding powdered fuel, a fuel hopper having an outlet atthe bottom thereof through which the fuel is fed, and aerforated duct passing downwardly withm said hopper and surrounded by the contents: thereof, adapted to prevent bridging within said hopper.

13. In an apparatus for feeding powdered fuel, a fuel hopper having an outlet at the bottomthereof through which the fuel is fed, a perforated duct passing downwardly current along saidduct.

prevent Within said hopper and surrounded by the contents thereof, and means for passing a 14. In an apparatus for feeding powdered fuel, a fuel hopper having an outlet at the bottom thereof through which the fuel is fed, a perforated duct passing downwardly within said hopper and surrounded by the contents thereof, and means for feeding the contents from said hopper.

15. In an apparatus for feeding powdered fuel, a fuel hopper having an outlet at the bottom thereof through which the fuel is fed, a perforated duct passing downwardly within said hopper and surrounded by the contents thereof and means for feeding the contents from said hopper, adapted to cause a current to pass-through said duct.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature this 9th day of January, 1920.

ARTHUR c. enaseow. 

